Resilient bearer structure for rotary printing presses



June 1952 M. STEMPEL RESILIENT BEARER STRUCTURE FOR ROTARY PRINTING PRESSES Filed May 27, 1948 32b 32c 32d INVENTOR LASZ'LO STEMPEL BY ATTORNEYS blanket is fastened to said blanket cylinder.

Patented June 3, 1952 UNITED srA-rss rarel -r orsics .BESILIENTIBEABER TR Q' T-U'B'EJ Q ROTARY PRINTING PRESSES Laszlo M. Stempel,gNew York, N. Y., assignor to :Las 1 ist n ne N w Ygork, and Albe -QharlesNplter-Blandome, N. Y es jointtrustees ApplicationMay-ZZ 1948, Serial- N0. 29,422

8 Cla m 1 The present invention relates to printing presses and more particularly to'bearer meansfor the impression cylinder of such presses.

In one type of printing press, there .is provided an inking cylinder, a plate cylinder, transfercylinder or cylinders between said inking cylinder and said plate cylinder, a blanket cylinderin ink transfer contact with said platecylinder and an impression cylinder in contact with said blanket cylinder 'for pressing the web to be printed against said blanket cylinder. The blanket cylinder is provided with a slot extending therealon on its outer periphery to receive the conventional wedge or clamp by which a rubber plate or In such an arrangement,.during each revolution of theblanket cylinder, whenthe blanket clamping slot on said cylinder moves opposite the impression cylinder, the failure of said impression cylinder to support said blanket cylinder at that instant, causes-said blanket cylinder to drop slightly'towards said impression cylinder, depending on thelooseness of the bearingsfor said blanket cylinder. This is immediately followed by an upward movement of the blanket cylinder ;as its blanket clamping slot moves beyond opposed po-- sition withrespect to the impression cylinder and the circular periphery of said blanket cylinder is moved again into contact with saidimpression cylinder. This causes the blanket cylinder to be knocked against the plate of the plate-cylinder, so that said plate becomes eventually worn along a longitudinal section thereof. This results, in the formation of a smudge on the web being printed.

.One. object of the present-inventionis to provide new and improved bearer -means by :which the movement of the blanket cylinder towards or away from the impression cylinder resulting from the conventional blanket clamping slot on said blanket cylinder is-avoided.

Another =objectof the present invention is to provide new and-improved resilientbearer means by which the movement of the blanket-cylinder towards or away from the impression cylinder resulting from the conventional blanket clamping slot on said blanket cylinder is avoided, while permitting adjustments in the positionof said impression cylinder with respect to said blanket cylinder'to accommodatewebs ofdiiferent thick- Various other objects will be apparent from the following description and froman inspection of the accompanying drawings, in which Fig.1 is-a view of one end of an impression 2 cylinder showing in axial section the bearing means and the resilient bearer --means {or :said cylinder embodying the present invention;

Fig. .2 is a section ,of the impression cylinder taken approximately along the lines 2-3-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. :3 is a diagrammatic end yiew of the different cylindersiof the printing press of the-pres- ;ent invention; and

Fig. 4 is a detail :secticn er ;a mQd-ified form of the invention.

R rin to the drawin s t e p int n pres is s wn cfthe general t p b rin and-r ins cylinder [0, a pair of transfer cylinders ",H ;in contact therewith, a plate -c-ylinder al 2 contact with both of said 1 transfer cylinders, a :b ket c inde 13 rq tact-wit s d plate rcyll de an an impr ss n cy i d M vin ccntac with ai b anket i jh -.plater y nde .1 has ,a on ent ona -.:m ta pr nt n e at per phe ell-y cur dto hemai bcdyo hecylinder rm an o a sl (no sh wn) t ere n nt whi h th ffs t d s f sai plat re-.retained b me n Ofe Wed e 0 -Qla! l .Ql :hllll 'E E e rubb ne te th blanket cylinde i i s milarly retained :on the nain body pf .said. cylinder by means of ;a;clamp or wedge (not shown) -in ;aslot 46 in said cylinder body.

he b ank cy ind 13 is rovided with a n q a rh are ins I at ac endensasins w t c espondin b e ring mothow-n a ch ve dc ith pla e c lind 11 t revent-r five m vemen a ai c nder towards aw y o ea hz the .fl w ve sinc th it l-ni e clamp 01 Wed e :in heslot .116 of the blank t r inder I 3 5 s ordinar l s rad ally i wa d y from h cu e -ne riphe r flI MQQ QEa Q dcylinde will drop towards the impression cylinder 1.4 each time aid slot :moves directly opposite said p e io cylinde a d m ves upw dly -im mediate ya ter saidslot-mcy s yondsaidp si- =tionp -cavcidsth sul n -intermittent-knocks -th b anke c l nde 1' again th plate cylinder :12 and th co equent-Marni the late o zsai latte -n inde J-tbereispr V dQdnBW .ai mer d bea e 1' mean 0n each end of the -,i-m- .pression cylinder 14.

gIn;the- .-or;rn of the invent-ion shown, the impres ion-cy i de M .i ppro id d a ea h en wi a sha :2 i g a e cthe w -secured :to said c in e -a d i urn lled -ebushin 25 ina.,-ide frame mhisshaitg-zdhasasectio 18 nearest t slider the:imnressicncy1inder 1: 4 .of largest diameter, ran zintermediate -,;section 3i! ;of smaller diameter and an end iour-nalled section 31 of has a floating support due to said resilient sleeve smallest diameter. Encircling this shaft 25 is a cylindrical bearer sleeve'32 of metal having an active supporting outer end section 33 engaging A sleeve 35 of rubber or similar resilient material spaces the bearer sleeve 32 from the shaft section 28 and serves for the purpose to be described.

This sleeve 35 is shorter than the length of the bearer sleeve 32 but in unstressed cylindrical condition is longer than the length of the shaft sec-- tion 28 and fits snugly between said bearer sleeve and said shaft section.

In order to retain the bearer sleeve 32 and resilient sleeve 35 in position on the cylinder shaft 25, the end of the bore of said bearer sleeve 1 is enlarged to form a recess 33 presenting an annular shoulder 31 in alignment with the plane of the outer end or shoulder 38 of the shaft section 28, when said bearer sleeve engages the end of the impression cylinder M, as shown in Fig. 1.

3 This recess 36 receives, a circular retaining or clamping plate 40 by means of studs 4| threaded into the shaft section 28. This clamping plate 45 encircles the intermediate shaft section 30 and when in limiting position engages the shaft shoulder 38 and comes close to the shoulder 31 in the recess 36 of the bearer sleeve 32. In this limiting position of the clamping plate 4! the bearer sleeve 32 abuts the end of the impression The plate 40 is clamped tight against the shaft sleeve 32 lightly if at all, so that this bearer sleeve without restriction against radial movement either from the end of the impression cylinder M or from said clamping plate.

i The printing cylinders are set-up, so that the bearer sleeves 32 on the impression cylinder it are pressed upwardly against the respective bearer rings I! on the blanket cylinder l3. In

this operative position,the resilient sleeves 35 are stressed radially to urge the bearing'sleeves 32 upwardly towardsthe respective bearer rings ll on the blanket cylinder l3, even though the axis of the impression cylinder I4 should be lowered 1 to accommodate a web of greater thickness.

To vary the distance of the impression cylinder [4 from the blanket cylinder I3, so as to acings 26 are rotated in a direction to move the imness, the radial stresses on the resilient sleeves 35 urging the bearer sleeves 32 upwardly against the respective bearer rings ll on blanket cylinder [3, are sufficient to maintain said bearer sleeves 32 still in operative supporting contact with said bearer rings, even though said impression cylinder has been adjustably moved away from said blanket cylinder.

It is seen, therefore, that the blanket cylinder l3 will be supported against dropping action by the contacts of its bearer rings H with the bearer sleeves 32 on the impression cylinder l4 and that this support is effective, regardless of the radial adjusted position of the impression cylinder M with respect to said blanket cylinder.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 4.

. an inner pneumatic tube 35a may be used instead cylinder 14 and the resilient sleeve is comv j pressedaxially so that it bulges radially outwardly as shown.

are rotated similar amounts, to move the axis of j 1 said impression cylinder'towards or away from the blanket cylinder I3. If the eccentric bushpression cylinder towards the blanket cylinder l3, so as to accommodate webs of smaller thick- If the eccentric bushings 2 5 are rotated in a direction to move the impression cylinder [4 away from the blanket cylinder I3,so as to accommodate webs of greater thickness, this movement of said impression cylinder is efiected, while the'bearer sleeves 32 due to their 1 resilient floating'support maintain their radial position in contact with the bearer sleeve IT on the blanket cylinder.

of the sleeve 35 shown in Fig. 1. This tube 35a may be inflated through a sleeve stem 3511 extending through an aperture 330 in the bearer sleeve 32d. 1

While the invention has been described with particular reference to a specific embodiment, it is to be understood that it is not to be liimted thereto, but is to be construed broadly and restricted solely by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a printing press, a blanket cylinder, a rigid cylindrical bearer for said blanket cylinder at each end, an impression cylinder coacting with said blanket cylinder, a rigid cylindrical bearer for said impression cylinder'at each end coopcratin with the corresponding bearer for said blanket cylinder to support said blanket cylinder against radial movement towards said impression cylinder, and means for resiliently supporting the bearers for the impression cylinder for radial movement with respect to said impression cylinder and for maintaining thereby resilient pressure between cooperating bearers, said supporting means acting to resist yieldably movement of the bearers for said impression cylinder in any radial direction.

2. In a printing press, an impression cylinder having a shaftat each end for hearing support,

der coacting with said impression cylinder to sup port said coacting cylinder against radial movement towards said impression cylinder, a resilient sleeve between each of said bearer sleeves and each of the corresponding shafts for resiliently supporting said bearer sleeve for radial movement with respect to said impression cylinder, to maintain resilient pressure between each of said bearer sleeves and the corresponding bearer engaging said latter sleeve, and a retaining plate clamped against one end of each of said resilient sleeves to maintain said latter resilient sleeve and the corresponding bearer sleeve against axial movement, and'to compress said latter resilient sleeve axially to cause said latter resilient sleeve to bulge radially outwardly against the corresponding bearer sleeve without restri0ting radial movement of each bearer sleeve with respect to its corresponding shaft.

3; In a printing press, the'combination as described in claim 2, each of said shafts having an axially facing shoulder against which the corre- V spending retaining plate abuts, said plate being attached to said shaft by studs passing through said shoulder and threaded into said shaft.

4. In a printing press, an impression cylinder,

a bearer at each end of said cylinder adapted to engage with a corresponding bearer of a cylinder coacting with said impression cylinder to support said coacting cylinder against radial movement towards said impression cylinder, sleeve means for resiliently supporting the bearers for the impression cylinder for radial movement with respect to said impression cylinder to maintain resilient pressure between interengaging bearers, and means for radially adjusting the radial position of said impression cylinder with respect to said coacting cylinder to accommodate for webs of varying thicknesses and to regulate the resilient pressure between contacting bearers.

5. In a printing press, an impression cylinder having a shaft at each end, a bearing for each of said shafts including an eccentric bushing adapted when turned to move the corresponding shaft radially, a bearer at each end of said cylinder adapted to engage with a corresponding bearer of a cylinder coacting with said impression cylinder to support said coacting cylinder against radial movement towards said impression cylinder, and sleeve means for resiliently supporting the bearers for the impression cylinder for radial movement with respect to said impression cylinder to maintain resilient pressure between interengaging bearers, even though the radial position of said impression cylinder has been adjusted through said eccentric bushings.

6. In a printing press, a vblanket cylinder, a bearer for said blanket cylinder at each end, an impression cylinder coacting with said blanket cylinder and having a shaft at each end for bearing support, a rigid bearer sleeve at each end of said impression cylinder encircling the corresponding shaft and adapted to engage with a corresponding bearer of said blanket cylinder to support said blanket cylinder against radial movement towards said impression cylinder, and a sleeve of resilient material interposed between each of said bearer sleeves and each of the corresponding shafts for resiliently supporting said bearer sleeve for radial movement with respect to said impression cylinder, to maintain resilient pressure between each of said bearer sleeves and the correspondeing bearer engaging said latter sleeve.

7. In a printing press, the combination as described in claim 6, said resilient sleeve being concentric with its corresponding shaft, said combination comprising means for compressing said resilient sleeve axially to force its entire periphery radially outwardly against its corresponding bearer sleeve.

8. In a printing press, an impression cylinder having a shaft at each end, a bearin for each of said shafts including an eccentric bushing adapted when turned to move the corresponding shaft radially, each of said shafts having a diametrically enlarged inner section presenting an axially facing shoulder, a rigid cylindrical bearer sleeve at each end of said cylinder concentrically encircling the corresponding shaft at its enlarged section and adapted to engage peripherally with a corresponding bearer of a cylinder coacting with said impression cylinder to support said coacting cylinder against radial movement towards said impression cylinder, a resilient sleeve between each of said bearer sleeves and each of the corresponding shafts for resiliently supporting said bearer sleeves for radial movement with respect to said impression cylinder, to maintain resilient pressure between each of said bearer sleeves and the corresponding bearer engaging said latter bearer sleeve, and a retaining plate held against each of said shoulders to compress the corresponding resilient sleeve axially to cause said latter resilient sleeve to bulge radially outwardly against the corresponding bearer sleeve, said retaining plate being large enough to retain the corresponding bearer sleeve against outward axial movement, but bein free from pressing engagement with said latter bearer sleeve to permit said latter bearer sleeve to move radially under the pressing action of the corresponding bearer.

LASZLO M. STEMPEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

